Process of making acetyl-cellulose plastic compounds.



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WILLIAM G. LINDSAY, OF CALDWELL, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CELLULOIDCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF MAKING ACE'IYL-CELLULOSE PLASTIC COMPOUNDS.

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Patented May 15., 19117.

I No Drawing. Original application filed May 23, 1912, Serial No.699,236. Divided and this application filed July 10, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. LINDSAY, acitizen of the Unlted States, residing at Caldwell, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes of that of a solid or dry material, thedifferent processes of conversion into this final solid form involve, asis well understood, the employment of solutions or mixtures of varyingconsistency as to plasticity, stiffness or fluidity, dependent generallyupon the proportion and kind of solvent used to the amount of theoriginal baseacetyl cellulose.

In the treatment of acetyl cellulose for the i production of plasticmasses which can be utilized in a manner similar to the nitrocellulosecompounds, the best known of which has received the trade name ofcelluloid, and the production of solutions for the manufacture oflacquers, varnishes, photographic films and flexible compounds, I havediscovered that methyl acetate in admixture with methyl alcohol exerts asolvent action on that variety of cellulose which is freely soluble inacetone.

It is well known that methyl acetate has been proposed as a solvent forthe acetonesoluble variety of acetyl cellulose, and that the methylacetate found on the market contains varying amounts of methyl alcohol.

I have discovered, however, that when the commercial or the 100 percent. methyl acetate is diluted with methyl alcohol in certainproportions there results a product of increased solvent action for thepreparation of acetyl cellulose compounds.

The best proportions I have found are 30 per cent. to 40 per cent, ofmethyl alcohol and per cent. to. 70 per cent. of methyl acetate. Thisconstitutes the liquid solvent mixture, although the proportions may bevaried Serial No. 39,191.

.volume of methyl alcohol. The mixture is then thoroughly incorporatedby malaxatmg and when a uniform mixture. is obtained the excess ofsolvent is allowed to evaporate and the dough-like mass thus obtained isfurther worked up according to the method which is well known in themanufacture of nitro-cellulose-camphor compounds.

Again, in order to make a compound which is plastic but which is notinflammable, I proceed as follows:

To 100 parts by weight of the acetonesoluble variety of acetyl celluloseI add 10 to 20 parts of paraethyltoluolsulfonamid and 20 to 30 parts oftriphenylphosphate; to the mixture thus obtained I add from 60 to 70parts by Weight of a mixture composed of 70 parts by volume of methylacetate and 30 parts by volume of methyl alcohol. The mixture is thenincorporated by suitable malaxating or kneading, etc., and when auniform consistency is obtained the excess of solvent is allowed toevaporate, and the dough-like mass thus produced is further worked upaccording to the method which is well known in the manufacture ofnitrocellulose-camphor compounds.

By paraethyltoluolsulfonamid, I mean the compound having the followingstructural formula the same being an alkylated aromatic sulfonamid.

Having thus described my invention, what'I claim is:

1. The process of producing plastic com- .pounds from acetyl celluloseof the variety with paraethyltoluolsulfonamid and adding thereto methylacetate and ethyl alcohol, substantially as described.

2. The process of producing plastic compounds from acetyl celluloseof'the Variety which is freely soluble in acetone which consists inmixing the said acetyl cellulose with paraethyltoluolsulfonamid andadding thereto methyl acetate and methyl alcohol, and subjectingthe massto heat and pressure, substantially as described.

3. The process of producing plastic compounds from acetyl cellulose ofthe variety which is freely soluble in acetone which consists in mixingthe said acetyl cellulose with paraethyltoluolsulfonamidandtriphenylphosphate; then addingto the mixture a solvent consisting ofmethyl acetate and methyl alcohol, substantially as described.

4. The process of producing plastic compounds from acetyl cellulose ofthe variety which is freely soluble in acetone which consists in mixingthe said acetyl cellulose with paraethyltoluolsulfonamid andtriphenylphosphate; then adding to the mixture a solvent consisting ofmethyl acetate and methyl alcohol, and subjecting the mass to heat andpressure, substantially as described.

5. The process of producing plastic compounds from acetyl cellulose ofthe variety which is freely soluble in acetone which consists in mixingthe said acetyl cellulose with hol, and subjecting the mass to heat andpressure, substantially as described.

7. Theprocess of producing plastic compounds from acetyl cellulose ofthe variety which is freely soluble in acetone which consists in mixingthe said acetyl cellulose with an alkylated aromatic sulfonamid andtriphenylphosphate; then adding to the mlxture a solvent consisting ofmethyl acetate and methyl alcohol, substantially as described.

8. The process of producing plastic compounds from acetyl cellulose ofthe variety which is freely soluble in' acetone whlch consists in mixingthe said acetyl cellulose with an alkylated aromatic sulfonamid andtriphenylphosphate; then adding to the mixture a solvent consisting ofmethyl. acetate and methyl alcohol, andsub ect1ng the mass toheatandpressure, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM G. LINDSAY.

